Detergent composition



United States Patent Q 3,533,954 DETERGENT COMPOSITION Thomas Daniel Davies, Bebington, England, assignor to Lever Brothers Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Maine No Drawing. Filed June 2, 1967, Ser. No. 643,052 Claims priority, application Great Britain, June 3, 1966,

24,941/ 66, 24,944/ 66 Int. Cl. Clld 9/30, 15/04 US. Cl. 252-110 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A washing powder containing a 3:1 to 1:3, by weight, mixture of soap and non-soap detergent is obtained with surprisingly good and stable lather if the non-soap detergent is a water-soluble C to C substantially straightchain aliphatic alpha-sulphonate and if there is included in the composition from 136% to 6%, by weight of the powder, of an unsubstituted amide of a C to C substantially straight-chain aliphatic acid or, when the alphasulphonate is an alkane sulphonate, the unsubstituted amide or a monoethanolamide of the C to C substantially staight-chain aliphatic acid.

This invention relates to washing powders. In particular it relates to a washing powder containing soap and non-soap detergent in which the weight ratio of soap to non-soap detergent is between 3:1 and 1:3.

A washing powder containing such a blend of soap and non-soap detergent possesses to some extent the good features of both a non-soap detergent powder and a soap powder. Thus, like a non-soap detergent powder, it gives quick lather and little trouble with washing-machine heaters and, like a soap powder, it gives close, creamy lather and easy rinsing. Unfortunately, in general, the lather formed from such a blend, although it is creamy and quickly formed, has a short half-life even when a lather stabilizer is added to the powder.

It has been discovered that a washing powder of the above type has surprisingly good and stable lather when the powder contains soap, a C to C substantially straight-chain aliphatic alpha-sulphonate and, by weight of the powder, from 1 /2% to 6%, preferably 3%, of an unsubstituted amide of a C to C fatty acid.

The invention provides a washing powder containing soap and a C, to C substantially straight-chain aliphatic alpha-sulphonate, in a weight ratio of 3:1 to 1:3, and, by weight of the powder, between 116% and 6% of an unsubstituted amide of a C to C substantially straightchain aliphatic acid.

PKA and CNA are typical examples of unsubstituted amides of C to C fatty acids. PKA is the mixture of amides derived from palm kernel oil and CNA the mixture of amides derived from coconut oil.

A preferred alpha-sulphonate is an alkene sulphonate.

A particularly preferred alpha-sulphonate is obtained when the sulphonation mixture obtained by sulphonating C to C alpha-olefins is completely or almost completely hydrolysed and neutralised. Preferred sulphonating agents are sulphur trioxide/air or sulphur trioxide adducts such as sulphur trioxide-dioxane. The full constitution of the sulphonation mixture is not known but it is believed to contain beta-, gammaand delta-sultones as well as alkene sulphonates and hydroxysulphonates. The sulpho- 3,533,954 Patented Oct. 13., 1970 nation mixture is preferably hydrolysed and neutralised with sodium hydroxide solution to give the sodium sulphonates but water-soluble salts with other cations, such as ammonium, substituted ammonium and potassium can be used.

The product obtained by hydrolysing and neutralising the sulphonation mixture obtained by sulphonating alphaolefins, herein called an alpha-olefin sulphonate, contains hydroxyalkane sulphonates, disulphonates and other compounds as well as alkene sulphonates. A typical product consists essentially of from 40% to of alkene sulphonates, the double bond being predominantly in the 2,3; 3,4; and 4,5 positions, 15% to 40% of hydroxy alkane sulphonates and from 3% to 25% of disulphonates. All these compounds have an alpha-sulphonate group present in their structure.

Another preferred alpha-sulphonate is an alkane sulphonate of the general formula RSO X where R is a primary, straight chain, C to C saturated alkyl group and X is a cation such as an ammonium, sodium or p0- tassium ion.

When the alpha-sulphonate is an alkane sulphonate a monoethanolamide of a C to C fatty acid can be used instead of an unsubstituted amide as lather stabiliser.

It has been discovered that a washing powder with especially good lather characteristics is formed when the powder contains the alphasulphonate and soap in a weight ratio of 1:1. It will be appreciated that, according to the invention, minor proportions of other non-soap detergents can be included in the powder.

The total amount of soap and alpha-sulphonate will be between 10 and 40%, by weight of the powder.

By water-soluble is meant that the salt of the C to C substantially straight-chain aliphatic acid and the salt of the alpha-sulphonate are, at the usual user concentration of a washing powder, substantially soluble in the washing solution. The usual user concentration of a washing powder is about 0.4% by weight.

The invention is particularly applicable to built detergent compositions. In such compositions the amount of detergent active, soap and non-soap detergent, will normally be between 10 and 40% and the amount of builder salt, such as sodium tripolyphosphate, will normally be between 20 and 50% by weight of the composition.

By soap is meant a water-soluble salt of a C to C substantially straight-chain aliphatic acid. The salt may b; an alkali-metal, ammonium or substituted ammonium s t.

Many housewives believe that when the lather subsides the detergent solution has lost its washing power. Consequently they often overdose and waste detergent. The compositions according to the invention, as is shown in the following examples, have long half-lives compared to other soap/non-soap detergent compositions. There is therefore a reduced tendency for overdosing and consequent waste to occur.

EXAMPLE I This example illustrates the superior lathering performance of the compositions of the invention in comparison with other soap/non-soap detergent based washing powders.

A number of drum dried washing powders containing soap and a non-soap detergent were prepared with and without a lather stabilizer. These powders were screened for lather stability in hard water. 0.4% of each powder 3 was stirred at 75 r.p.m. into 24 H. water at 60 C. After /2 minute the stirrers were stopped and the lather height measured in M ins. initially and after /z, i, 2, 3, 4 and 5 mins. The half-lives in minutes of the lather produced are given in Table I and Table II below.

4 EXAMPLE ni Powders were prepared according to the formulation given in Example I. Powder equivalent to 0.4% concentration was added to 24 H. water (24 parts CaCO per 100 000 parts water) as 60 C in a addl -t h' The com when of the wder used e 5 P e ype was mg was: p base m Tabl I machine. The solution was agitated for 30 seconds and the Parts lather height noted. The solution was then agitated for a Soap further 30 seconds and the height noted. The solution N Was finally agitated for a further minute and the final on soap detergent 10 10 h h d Th 1 Sodium triplyphosphate 32 erg tnote e resu ts are given in Table lli. Sodium sulphate 11 TABLE III Sodium toluene s p o 2 Lather heights iii inches Anhydrous alkaline silicate 10 fi a at times 05 r, gs um ar xy t yl cellulose 1 15 Non-soap detergent 3 o 1 2mins.

ater 10 .Alkyl benzene sulphonate from a The soap used in the formulations was a commercial mkylbimenewlihaM'w' CEA 1 1% V 0) soap made from a mixture of tallow, nut and soft oils ni iia-iflii's'iiipiib'iiiiij111111111 PKA 2% 2% 2 it; and contained approximately:

'lrace. 23% of 15 Salllfaied Soaps What is claimed is: 0f 2 15 Saturated Soaps 1. A washing powder consisting essentially, by weight 42% of unsaturated soaps f the powder, of;

The lather stabilizers employed were CEA, PKA, CNA, a soap being an {11km metal or ammonium W310iand LDAO. LDAO is lauryl dimethylamine oxide, CEA 25 soluble salt of a mixture substantially straight-chain is the monoethanolamide of the acids derived from cocollllsllbsllmled allphallc C8"C22 CaTbQXYhC 861d; nut n (b) a non-soap detergent being an alkali metal or am- TABLE I Halt-lives oi lather (in mins.)

No lather Non-soap Detergent stabilizer 3% CEA 3% PKA 3% LDAO N e-Alkyl benzene sulphonates irom:

Commercial linear allryl benzene with a mean molecular weight of 256 (broad distribution oiside chain leng Less han Commercial linear ellryl benzene with a mean molecular wei of 238 do Less tha y v v e i1 2.....-

(narrow distribution of side chain length) Commercial linear alkyl benzene with a mean molecular weight oi 257 (narrow distribution oi side chain length). Na-Teilow alcohol sulphate N e-Cu-Cn synthetic primary alcohol sulphate. Sulphate trorn "random" l Cid-C15 synthetic alcohol as Sulphate trom "random" 1 Clo-C15 synthetic alcohol-Na salt. Sulphate from "random" 1 Oil-Cu synthetic alcohol-Ne sslt Na-Tullow ether sulphate (4 moles ethylene oxide) Na-Lauryl ether sulphate (5 moles ethylene oxide) Na-Laul'yl ether sul hate (10 moles ethylene oxide)) Ne seoondary (Cir 15) ether sulphate (3 moles ethylene oxide) N a-random" l Ci -Ch alkene sulphonate Coconut fatty acid ester oi sodium isethionate Sodium salt of leuroyi-N-methyl taurine Na-dodecyl fl alflnine Na'Cli'C/N aikene elggeeul honate.-. Na'Cu-C alpha-ole No lather 1 Less than )6..." Less than 9i... No lather.

l The term random means that the functional group is randomly distributed over all the positions in the hydrocarbon chain.

EXAMPLE H The composition of the powder base used in Table II was:

Parts Soap 10 Non-soap detergent 10 Sodium tripolyphosphate 32 Sodium sulphate 11 Anhydrous alkaline silicate 10 Sodium toluene sulphonate 2 Sodium carboxyn et h l cellulose .I" Water PKA or CEA The powders were tested as described in Example I.

TABLE II (Halt-lives oi latherin mins.)

No With With lather 3% Non-soap Detergent stabilizer PICA CEA Na dodecyl-l-sulphonatar 0 6 2 Na tetradeeyl-lsulphonate.-. 2% 3 Na octadecyl-l-sulphonate 6 3 /6 Na CiiCi|-l-sulphonate Na cwca-l-sulphonate monium water-soluble salt of a substantially straightchain aliphatic C -C alpha sulphonic acid;

-(c) said substantially straight-chain aliphatic C -C alpha sulphonic acid being an unsubstituted alkane sulphonic acid or a mixture of unsubstituted alkene sulphonic acid, hydroxy alkane sulphonic acid and di-sulphonic acid;

((1) the weight ratio of soap to non-soap detergent being from 1:3 to 3:1 and (c) from 1% to 6% of an unsubstituted amide of a substantially straight-chain unsubstituted aliphatic C -C carboxylic acid when said alpha sulfonic acid is an aikene sulphonic acid, and when said alpha sulfonic acid is an alkane sulfonic acid 1%% to 6% of an unsubstituted amide of a substantially straightchain aliphatic C to C fatty acid.

2. A washing powder according to claim 1, in which the substantially staighbchain aliphatic G -C alpha sulfonic acid is a mixture of, by weight of the said alpha sulphonic acid, from40% to of alkene sulphonic acid, from 15% to 40% of hydroxy alkane sulphonic acid and from 3% to 25% of di-sulphonic acid.

3. A washing powder consisting essentially, by weight of the powder, of:

(a) from 5% to 20% of an alkali metal or ammonium 6 miter-soluble sait of a mixture substantially straightter-soluble salt of at substantia ly straight-chain alichain unsubstituted aliphatic C -C carboxylic acid; phatic alkane C -C alpha sulphonic acid: (b) from 5% to of an alkali metal or ammonium (c) from 20% to of an inorganic builder salt;

water-soluble salt of a substantially straight-chain (d) from 1%: to 6% of an unsubstituted amide or a aliphatic (I -C alpha sulphonic acid consisting esmonoethanolamide of a substantially straight-chain sentialiy of, by weight of the said alpha sulphonic aliphatic C -C carboxylic acid;

acid, from 40% to of alkene sulphonic acid, (c) about 12% of anhydrous alkaline silicate;

from 15% to 40% of hydroxy alkane sulphonic acid the weight ratio of (a) to (b) being about 1:1.

and from 3% to 25% of di-sulphonic acid;

(c) from 20% to 50% of an inorganic builder salt; 10 References Cited (6) from 1V2 l0 6% Of an Ul'lSUbSillUlCd amide Of a UNITED STATES PATENTS substantially straight-chain aliphatic C -C carboxync acid; 3,332,879 12/1966 Coward et al. 252152 (e) about 12% of anhydrous alkaline silicate; the weight ratio of water-soluble carboxylic acid salt to 15 FOREIG) PATEBTS the water-soluble alpha sulphonic acid salt being about 525,117 1 6 Canadalzl. 7 Y T 4. A washing powder consisting essentially by weight MAYER WEIABLATT Primary Exammcl' of the p n ofr P. E. WILLIS, Assistant Examiner (a) from 5-20% of an alkali metal or ammonium wa- 2O ter-soluble salt of a mixture substantially straight- U5, C1, X R

chain unsubstituted aliphatic Cg-Czg carboxylic acid; (b) from 5-20% of an alkali metal or ammonium wa- 252 117 138 

